Never let go
by TheWritingJunkie
Summary: What should have been a simple Recon mission goes horribly wrong and Ahsoka is kidnapped. Without the support of the Republic, Anakin will scour the Galaxy to find his Padawan. Will he find her? Or is she gone forever?
1. Lost in the Outer Rim

Chapter one: Lost in the Outer Rim

Ahsoka and Anakin sat in silence at a busy lounge on the surface of Kessel. Their mission was simple as far as recon missions went; they were to follow the Pyke Syndicate enforcers who were suspected by the Republic of buying captured clones from the separatists and using them as slaves in their mines. If nothing came of their investigation, so be it. If they found their suspicions to be true they were to contact the Jedi Counsel and await further orders.

"What do we do if they are buying captured clones from the Separatists, Master?" Ahsoka questioned as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Quiet, Ashoka." Anakin silenced his Padawan, his eyes searching through the crowd of miners. "If the wrong people overheard us, our whole mission could be jeopardized." And so they sat, watching for what seemed like an eternity to Ahsoka who wasn't much for waiting around and hoping they'd find what they were looking for.  
"Patience, little one, they'll be here. Sooner or later." Ahsoka rolled her eyes. She hated it when he called her that.  
But before she could respond the doors burst open and 5 imposing humans, 1 pyke, and 2 assassin droids. Both armed with heavy blasters.

The lounge that had just been filled with laughter and talking had fallen deathly quiet with the arrival of the thugs, who walked around the lounge, leering at patrons who dared to look up from their drink. "Greeting, gentlemen." A hooded man stood from his seat at the bar. "My lord begs your forgiveness for his absence, my friend, but he fears our dealings may have caught the attention of the Republic and their spies." The hooded figure spoke in a monotone voice.

The pyke nodded in agreement. "We have come to the same conclusion." He paused, looking around the crowded room. "But we assure you, and everyone else, nothing happens on this planet without our knowing." Anakin felt himself tense slightly. Did they know they were there?

Anakin sighed slightly, realizing they weren't so foolish as to use their names in the view of the public. Even if no one on the planet, or in fact the system, would dare cross them.

"How much for the girl?" A nasally voice came from behind Anakin, catching him off guard.

The jedi turned towards the pyke, who was better dressed than most on this planet, as he eyed Ahsoka like a hound. "What?" Anakin looked towards Ahsoka, a disgusted look on his face. "She isn't for sale." The grey skinned alien wouldn't be detoured so easily, coming around he knelt in front of Anakin.

"Listen, I've been doing this for a long time, and one thing I've learned is that there's a price for everything," His blue eyes turned towards Ahsoka. "or anyone." Anakin nearly reached for his lightsaber, but restrained himself at the last moment. "80,000 credits?" Anakin felt a growl escape his throat. "100,000? That's more than fair."

Ahsoka could see her master's face turning red and his fists clenching. "I'm not for sale!" Ahsoka snapped in her own defense, gaining the attention of everyone in the lounge. "Now beat-" But before she could finish she was struck hard across the face by the back of the pyke's three fingered hand.

"You'd be wise to learn your place." Anakin's mechanical hand wrapped itself around the pyke's slender neck and drug him across the table. There were a lot of people yelling and screaming but Anakin just couldn't seem to make it out as he continued to crush the obvious sex slavers windpipe. Nails dug into Anakin's neck and face, drawing blood but he the jedi was entranced in his rage.

 _Zap!_

Anakin let out a yelp as a painful electric shock sent him forward. In his rage the jedi had lost control and now found himself surrounded by the Pyke thugs he'd come to spy on. "Release him and put your hands in the air." One of the thugs ordered calmly. "Make a move and my droids'll make sure there's nothing left." Anakin released his grip on the slaver who coughed and gasped for air before scrambling away from him.

One of the Assassin droids grabbed his arm and put the blaster it carried to the back of his head. Ahsoka reached for her saber but her master stopped her, his fingers coming up. _"Don't do it,_ _Snips."_ Anakin thought silently, praying this situation wouldn't go any further south.

The Syndicate enforcer stepped in front of Anakin, his eyes going back and forth between both the jedi. "Seize them." At that the other Assassin droid grabbed Ahsoka and pulled her from the chair. The padawan yelped as she struggled against its grip.  
Before Anakin could react another painful electric shock surged through his body, and he was simultaneously clubbed by the droid.

The ground met him as he fought to keep his eyes open, as he heard Ahsoka struggling against the thugs. "Ahsoka..." He said aloud before finally losing consciousness.

* * *

Anakin woke up face down in a dimly lit room, his head throbbing and his hands bound behind his back. When his eyes adjusted to the dark and he managed to roll onto his side he found the enforcer staring at him. "You're a long way from home, jedi." Anakin rolled on his side to look the pyke in the eye as he spoke.

"I'm not a jedi." Anakin lied through his teeth, earning him a laugh.

"Then where did you get this?" He pulled Anakin's lightsaber from his pocket, activating it and illuminating the room with its blue glow.

"I killed a jedi," Anakin thought back on what Qui-Gon had said to him when he was a boy. "And I took it from him." The pyke threw his head back in laughter, deactivating the lightsaber and stuffing it back into his jacket pocket before standing up.

"Of course you did." The pyke wiped the tear that had rolled out onto his cheek away. "And your Togruta friend? She a jedi killer as well?" An evil grin spread across his face as he drew her lightsaber. Anakin gasped slightly, realizing his padawan wasn't in the room with him. "Normally I would have had you both hanged for all to see, but I have better plans." The pyke tortured Anakin with the suspense.

Anakin tried to free himself from the cuffs on his hands and feet. "Where is she!?" Anakin blurted out in anger, continuing his struggle to free himself.

The pyke spun Ahsoka's lightsaber in his three fingered hand, smiling as he thought of it. "Well, 80,000 credits seemed fair to me." There was a long silence between them while Anakin tried to force pull his weapon out of the pyke's pocket, to no avail. "I could hand you over to the Separatists. I'm sure they'd love to execute a jedi knight, and I know they'd pay dearly for you." A door behind Anakin opened and it was then he realized he was aboard a transport ship. "But you having to live with the knowledge that you failed your apprentice will bring me great joy." The slender creature walked over to the jedi, who he knew would wring his neck given the opportunity, with a smirk. "Goodbye, Republic dog." He placed his foot on Anakin's chest and shoved him from the transport, tossing both the sabers out as Anakin plummeted to the grassy fields 50 feet below.

Anakin braced himself for the impact, which broke his left arm and several ribs as his body rag dolled across the ground. When he regained his bearings he found his hands had been freed from the hand cuffs, and more surprising to him was the fact that he was still breathing. Even if each breath hurt more than the last.

"Ahsoka.." A rush of panic hit Anakin like a tidal wave. Suddenly the pains that covered the entirety of his body became like back round noise as he scrapped himself up off the ground. He searched the tall grass for the sabers as he slowly tried to piece together where they had marooned him.  
Anakin found his padawan's lightsaber first, clutching it tightly in his mechno-hand. "Ill find you, Ahsoka." Anakin promised, more to himself than anyone, else before setting off to find civilization; and to find Ahsoka.

 **Author's note: So that ends it for my first star wars fic. I hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter, and if you guys have any questions or advice please drop a review (: I'm not sure how I feel about this but I spent a good amount of time on it so I kinda said fuck it and decided to post it.**


	2. Take me in

Chapter Two: Take me in

Anakin walked all night and well into the morning. The adrenaline that had kept the pain at bay had long since worn off and his body screamed at him to stop. Finally the Jedi drug his aching body into the outskirts of a small village. "Help me." He tried not to sound desperate as he stumbled into a small soup shop. A dozen or so people eyed him but said nothing. "Please.." He was quickly losing the strength to stand, he knew his strength and will to go on wouldn't last much longer.

He large heavy set man with a long dark gray beard, came from behind the counter. "What can I do for you, son?" He asked as he approached the Jedi.

"Do you have a communicator here?" The man nodded, inspecting Anakin's injuries without actually touching him.

"We do," He paused as Anakin fell to a knee. "But first we should get you fixed up." The man who towered over Anakin under hooked his right arm and easily, but gently, lifted him off the ground. Anakin had always taken pride in the great physical strength he possessed. But the hulking man who was carrying him made him feel like a child.  
He set Anakin in a bed in the back of the shack before disappearing; Anakin fought desperately to keep his eyes open but sooner or later we all have to sleep.

* * *

Ahsoka woke tied to a mattress, the last thing the young Jedi could remember was destroying an Assassin droid in that sleazy bar on Kessel. "What happens if the republic catches us with her?" A voice grabbed Ahsoka's attention, it was just outside the room, which was sealed with a ray-shield. "Kidnapping a Jedi seems like something they'd execute you for." The male voice was silenced by another, much more commanding voice.

"Shut up." It ordered. "I don't pay you to bother me with pointless questions; I pay you to watch my merchandise." Ahsoka felt sick but kept quiet as she eavesdropped. "Besides, I have someone who's going to pay me 300,000 credits for the brat." Ahsoka began to struggle against the metal wire that she was bound with. It cut into her flesh with every pull, and she could feel warm blood running down her arms. "Look who's up." The voice came again. Her eyes shot to the door where a very tall Pyke stood. "Try not to harm yourself, girl. I wouldn't want you to lose value." Ahsoka gnashed her teeth in anger. If she had her lightsaber she would have had it against his throat.

"I'm not your property, sleemo!" She hissed. "I am a Jedi Knight!" The pyke chuckled as he turned off the ray-shield and entered her cell. Though he wouldn't say it, he was impressed with her. Most would be begging to be let go, or be far to frightened to speak. But this child showed no fear, or

"You're no knight," He stood over her bed and her body recoiled without her consent. "You're just a padawan, with no Master to watch over you." There was a long silence, the Pyke's almond shaped eyes never left her. "I wonder if he'll even bother looking for you." Ahsoka felt tears welling up in her eyes. He'd look for her, she knew he would. Wouldn't he? "If he even survived the fall, that is." The pyke laughed as he turned on his heel and left the cell.

"What!?" Ahsoka practically screamed."What did you do with him!?" Again Ahsoka struggled valiantly to free herself, even as the pain became almost unbearable.

The next few hours dragged by. Ahsoka had lost the strength to fight free herself. She'd resigned herself to her current predicament. _"Where are you, Master?"_ She thought silently. The anxiety and helplessness she felt was nearly unbearable.  
Ahsoka began to feel a slight tingle, in the back of her mind. That tingle quickly grew into a head ache as the presence of two strong Dark side users as they grew near. Footsteps could be heard, but just barely over the pounding of her heart as her body screamed out with every fiber of her being. _"RUN YOU IDIOT! RUN!"_ Count Dooku appeared in her doorway first, an evil smile appeared on his bearded face when his eyes met hers. The dark side aura that surrounded him made her feel sick, but there was someone far more powerful nearby.

"If it isn't Skywalker's young apprentice." Dooku smirked as he deactivated the ray-shield and entered her cell. Another figure appeared behind him, the hood concealed his identity but the dark side of the force was strong with him. Far stronger than anyone she'd ever encountered and it reduced her from a proud Jedi apprentice to the 14 year old child she was. "Tell me, Slaver, what did your Master do with young Skywalker?" Dooku spoke to the Pyke slaver, but his piercing gaze never left Ahsoka.

The slaver shrugged his shoulders and folded his log arms before speaking. "We marooned him on Dantooine. We figured if the fall from our transport ship didn't kill him, the devastation of losing his padawan would." At that Dooku's hand lifted and with it the Pyke as he choked and gasped for air.

"That is a shame." Dooku turned towards the pyke. "I might have spared you if you had Skywalker in your possession. But with just-" Before he could crush the Pyke's windpipe the hooded figure put a hand on his shoulder.

"There is no need for violence, my friend." His voice was calm. Carrying no hint of anger, nor did his presence in the force, though Ahsoka still flinched when he approached her bed. "Skywalker's apprentice will be quite useful." His long boney fingers caressed Ahsoka's cheek. "You, my dear, will lure your Master to us." Ahsoka hook her head to get his hands away from her.

"My Master would NEVER fall for any of your tricks!" Ahsoka spoke with confidence when she spoke of her Master.

The hooded Sith exchanged looks with Count Dooku, before they both broke into laughter that sent chills down Ahsoka's spine. "Skywalker's love for you blinds him, Padawan." Dooku spoke with a grin. "He'd do anything to save you; even if that meant dying for you."

* * *

Anakin snapped from his sleep, his heart racing and his battered body drenched in sweat. Ahsoka was in danger, he could sense her fear through their bond. "Take it easy." The familiar voice of the man who had promised to help him. As Anakin reclined it was then that he realized his robes had been removed and his wounds had been carefully bandaged. "You're hurt. You need to rest." Anakin tried to hide his frustration.

"I need to contact the Jedi Counsel." Anakin again tried to sit up but the man's hand again thwarted his efforts.

"Don't worry, I already contacted the Republic." He spoke calmly. "They're coming." Anakin smiled slightly.

"I'm Anakin Skywalker." He held out his mechno hand for the man to shake.

"Kaerlig." He smiled. "What happened to you, Anakin?" Kaerlig questioned, glancing at Anakin's arm that sat in a homemade sling.

"I was on a recon mission with my padawan, Ahsoka." Anakin swallowed hard, thinking of his failure. "I blew our cover and they marooned me here, and they took her." There was a long silence between them. It was in this silence that a realization hit the young Jedi and the relief that he'd felt slipped away. "Did you use a secure com link when you contacted the Republic?" He questioned frantically.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why would I do that?" At that Anakin kicked the thin sheet that covered him off and stood from the bed, causing the man o back away from him.

Anakin limped to the window and stared up at the late afternoon sky. "If you contacted the Republic on an open com line anyone could have heard it." Anakin paused as 3 Separatist' warships came into view in the late afternoon sky. "What planet are we on?" He finally asked as he searched for his lightsabers.

"Dantooine." Anakin knew help was a long way off.

"Send another message to the Republic. Tell them the Separatists are here for me." Anakin spoke hastily as he tried to put his armor plated clothing without hitting any of his numerous injuries.

"What are you going to do?" Kaerlig stopped Anakin on his way out of the hut. "You may be a Jedi but you're hurt and you are _hopelessly_ out numbered." Kaerlig was a good man, who helped him without any reason. But he was right, Anakin's body was bruised and battered, and he could still feel Ahsoka's fear and sadness and that was draining his energy on its own.

"I'm gonna fight," Anakin paused as he nodded his head slowly. "Until the Republic gets here, or until they kill me. Thank you, for everything." And with that he exited the hut and drew his lightsaber as two dozen battalions descended towards the village. Normally he would fall back and wait for reinforcements. But Anakin knew if he hid the droids would slaughter the villagers without a moments hesitation, and he wasn't going to stand by and let that happen.

The first two ships touched down and out poured 500 battle droids and 100 super battle droids. Anakin cracked his neck as he ignited his lightsaber, which immediately drew blaster fire. Deflecting each bolt with ease he slowly advanced towards the small army that was simultaneously advancing towards him as well. Droid after droid fell as the Jedi redirected their attacks, but Anakin knew he couldn't hold them off for long. A lone Jedi in an open field couldn't stop the onslaught of a droid army. Certainly not with only one arm. _"There has to be a way to destroy them."_ Anakin thought silently as he dove away from a homing missile that came just mere feet from striking the Jedi. Anakin's body screamed in protest with each movement.  
Again he found himself deflecting blaster fire, but he was now being forced to slowly retreat as another two battalions touched down. His eyes searched for anything that he could use to his advantage but suddenly he noticed droids were dropping like flies. His eyes shot back to Kaerlig, who stood with six other men, each with a blaster in hand as they fired at the advancing droid army.

"I didn't spend four hours bandaging your wounds and listening to you mumble about your padawan to let these droids kill you." Anakin couldn't help but laugh as he ran back to his newfound comrades. Anakin deflected the blaster fire, as the small militia behind him picked the droids off one by one.

Anakin knew he couldn't block all of the hundreds of blaster rounds that were being fired at them. A few of them grazed his robes, singeing the sturdy material. _'Arg!'_ Anakin turned to see one of comrades doubled over in the grass, gripping his stomach wear he'd been hit, writhing in pain. The Jedi felt a growl escape his throat as he returned to blocking blaster fire.

"All of you, fall back, now!" Anakin commanded, his eyes looking at the two battalions preparing to land.

Kaerlig stepped froward. "I'm not going to let you die, Skywalker." Anakin didn't bother looking back to Kaerlig. He knew the way he was looking at him because he looked at Ahsoka the same way. Kaerlig was a Father by nature; he'd die protecting someone, even if he barely knew them.

"I'm not dying here, and neither are you." Anakin began as he focused all the strength he could muster on one of the droid transporters. "I-" Anakin paused as began to try and force pull the massive ship from the sky. "I just need you to trust me!" He was now speaking through clenched teeth, his hand still clutching his lightsaber as the ship began descending faster. "GO!" Anakin screamed as he pulled the transporter into another that had already landed, causing a fiery explosion. The shockwave knocked Anakin from his unstable legs and set him flying backwards.

When he finally regained his bearings Anakin stood from the grass. "That could have gone better." He coughed. His eyes scanned the field until they finally found nearly 200 hundred droids that had survived the explosion. "Why can't I just once get a break!?" Anakin growled to himself as he ignited his lightsaber.  
Before Anakin could engage the droids that remained a familiar Delta-7 Interceptor passed over head. Leveling a third of the droids in its first attack. "Obi-Wan." Anakin exhaled with a smile as he took a knee and watched the Separatist Warships flee the system when confronted by the Republic fleet in the upper atmosphere.

The starfighter finished off the rest of the droids just as three Gunships filled with Clones landed and secured the area. "Anakin!" Obi-Wan called as he force jumped from the cockpit of his fighter. "Are you alright?" Obi-Wan rushed to the aid of his former padawan.

"We have to go." Anakin spoke quickly, but stood very slowly.

Obi-Wan began inspecting Anakin's injuries, which were well bandaged but still needed immediate attention. "Yes, we need to get you to the medics." He stated not realizing Ahsoka was missing as he began to lead Anakin by his good arm.

Anakin tore his arm away from Obi-Wan. The culmination of sleep deprivation, the pain from his injuries, and the constant feeling of helplessness was slowly driving Anakin insane. "Listen to me!" Anakin practically shouted. "My cover was blown on Kessel. I was dumped here and they took Ahsoka!" He ended in a huff as Obi-Wan stood in a shocked silence. "I need to find her."

 **Author's Note: I guess this is as good a place as any to end this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it and as always if you could drop a review I read and appreciate them all. Chapter three might take slightly longer to update as I am going out of town for a few days and wont be able to write but Ill update ASAP!**


	3. Don't Abandon me

Chapter Three: Don't abandon me

Anakin had been taken back to Coruscant to get proper medical treatment, and to meet with the Jedi counsel. He impatiently tapped on his bed side table in his room in the Halls of Healing while he awaited word that he could report to the Jedi Council. It'd been 3 days since he'd returned to Coruscant, and 4 days since Ahsoka was taken and every moment he spent in bed instead of searching for her was more frustrating than the last.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan's voice came from his doorway. "The Council will see you now." At that Anakin practically jumped from the bed and threw on his robe. The walk to the high council chambers was silent, and Obi-Wan found he was having trouble keeping up with his injured friend. There wasn't any doubt in the older Jedi's mind that Anakin would have sprinted to the meeting if he could have.

They entered the council chambers together and Obi-Wan took his eat among the other council members who all eyed Anakin for a moment. "Master Kenobi explained the situation you got yourself into to us." Mace spoke first, his hands folded over his stomach. "We expected better self control from you." Anakin tried not to roll his eyes. He couldn't be in any less in the mood for a lecture.

"Your padawan, Ahsoka, gone, she is?" Yoda began, already knowing the answer to his own question. "To search for her, is what you want." Anakin didn't respond, just giving a simple nod to the Jedi grandmaster. The room fell silent as they had already deliberated on the matter. "Spare the troops, we cannot." Anakin's eyes shot up to Yoda's before working their way to each of the council members who were staring at him with anticipation. Though Obi-Wan kept his eyes down, it was obvious he wanted to search for Ahsoka as well.

"W-What?" Anakin could feel his face getting hot and his fists clenching. They can't spare the troops to find a fellow Jedi?

"We simply cannot afford to spread ourselves thinner than we already are due to your failures." Mace had always been hard on Anakin but this was beyond that.

"Yes they're my failures," Anakin hissed. "So why is my padawan being punished?" His eyes darted between Yoda and Mace, who said nothing. "So that's it!?" Anakin raised his voice. "You want to abandon her to a life of slavery because of MY fuck ups!?" Anakin could see Obi-Wan tense with every word that poured from his mouth. You'd think he was a wild animal by the way his old master looked as if he was going to have to drag him from the room at any time.

"It is unfortunate," Mace nodded slowly. "But we can't jeopardize our mission, at least not right now." Again, the room fell silent as Anakin thought.

"Then I'm requesting to be put on leave to find her." Before anyone could object he pointed a gloved hand at Mace. "No, no, I DEMAND, to be put on leave." Anakin glared daggers at the members of the high council. Without a word Yoda gave a small nod, signaling to everyone he would allow it. His judgement told him Anakin was going to run off to find her whether he was on leave or not.

"A request, I have." Anakin stopped to look at the Jedi grandmaster. "For your injuries to heal, wait." Yoda knew Anakin's injuries were severe and his intuition told him the young Jedi would need all of his strength for this journey. Anakin stood still for a moment as he contemplated the request, before sighing aloud and nodding his head slowly in agreement.

"Thank you for your patience, Masters." Obi-Wan spoke in a solemn tone. "The pain of losing your padawan is great." Obi-Wan sighed thinking about the pain Anakin must be in. "He will learn and grow from this, I assure you." Yoda furrowed his brow and rested his head in his hand.

"Sense his pain, I do." Yoda spoke calmly, looking over to Mace, who nodded his head. "Allow him this time, we must."

* * *

Anakin didn't return to the Halls of Healing, he instead went to the Padawan dormitories that he had once called home. He stopped and stared at Ahsoka's name on her door for a minute before opening the door and entering the cramped living space. If not for him living with Padme, which had to remain a secret, he would have invited her to stay with him. "Do you miss her too, master Skywalker?" A voice came from the door. Barriss stood in the door, her arms wrapped around herself and her eyes focused on the ground.

"Yeah," He sighed. "I miss her." Anakin looked to the young padawan, who had obviously been crying. He wondered silently if any of them were truly free from attachment. If he had been taken by anyone there wouldn't have been a force in the universe that would have stopped Obi-Wan.

"Do you think they'll find her?" Barriss questioned, her eyes still focused on the ground.

"They're not going to look for her." Anakin spoke in a low tone, looking away from the girl who was now even more distraught. "They can't spare the men." He felt his anger growing again as he thought about it. The idea of abandoning a fellow Jedi was infuriating, insulting even.

"So," Barriss choked out, tears falling out on to her green tinted cheeks. "She's gone then." There was a certain kind of sadness that only came with losing a friend.

"No," His eyes came back up to her. "She's not gone." Anakin tried to catch Barriss' gaze, but she kept her eyes down as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I will find her, even if it takes me the rest of my life. I will get her back." He paused his eyes still on the young Mirialan who was trying to hide her tears from him. "Barriss, look at me." Anakin ordered softly. She wasn't his padawan but she was a padawan all the same, and he felt it was his duty to ease her mind. "I will find her, Barriss. With or without the support of the Republic, I will find Ahsoka." Anakin spoke with confidence, but didn't allow the anger that sat in his chest to show. Barriss nodded, her pain was eased but the anxiety stayed behind. "Get some sleep, little one. Don't fret the things you can't change." Barriss left the room in silence her arms still coiled around herself.

He reclined on Ahsoka's bed, while he waited for night fall. The young Jedi didn't have to leave the planet to find information about where to start looking for Ahsoka.

As the sun set on the the Jedi temple Anakin prepared himself for his decent into the Coruscant underworld. Although not directly in contact with the slavers in the Outer Rim, the slavers that operators in the lowest levels of the underworld would most certainly heard of any Jedi padawans that may be up for sale. He used the public transit system instead of his starfighter, which would have been much faster, to avoid unwanted attention. The air in beneath the surface was stale and burned his eyes as he went deeper into the planet. Anakin tried ignore the despair of the beggars he passed. How on arguably the richest planet in the galaxy, are people starving, sleeping on the ground and choking on the polluted air? Again he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind; he was here for a reason.

It didn't take him long to find the infamous slaver, Parum Hom, that had operated down here for years. Of course the Republic wanted to arrest him for his dealings in the slave industry but the slippery worm never dealt with any of it directly.  
Anakin approached the man, who wasn't much older than himself. "I need information." His eyes came away from the communicator he was looking at and they looked over Anakin; he was sizing him up.

"I don't do business with anyone who isn't my friend, kid." Parum spoke in a monotone voice, returning his attention to the communicator in his scarred hands.

Anakin held back a scoff as he reached into his robe and pulled out credit chips that Padme had given to him. "Is 500 credits enough to be your friend?" Parum pushed off the wall and turned towards Anakin with a wide smile.

"What can I do for you, my friend?" He took the credits from Anakin.

"I need information on how to track the Pyke Syndicate's slaving operations in the Outer Rim." Anakin stated. At the mention of the Pyke Syndicate he became much more suspicious. Even in the inner core, crossing them could cost you your life. They stood in silence while Parum waited for Anakin to tell him exactly what he needed to know. "Look, they have someone important to me." Parum rolled his eyes. Anakin was now quickly losing his patience with the smaller man. "Answer me!" Anakin barked in frustration. His ability to control his temper was quickly becoming nonexistent.

Parum went for the blaster on his hip but Anakin was faster than him. The tip of the blue lightsaber was a mere inch from his throat, threatening to take his head off with the flick of the wrist. "You're a Jedi!" He hissed, his hand recoiling from the blaster. "Come to put me out of business? Hm?" Anakin shook his head slowly.

"I'm not here for that, or for you." Anakin spoke, the anger in his eyes made Parum flinch. Jedi were supposed to be calm and level headed, no matter the situation. But the look in Anakin's eyes told him if it came down too it he wouldn't hesitate to kill him. "I need information. And you're going to give to me." Parum relented, folding his arms over his chest.

"What do you want to know?" He was accustomed to being in control, and Anakin stripping that from him was beyond annoying and humiliating.

"Any Torgruta girls come onto the market recently?" Anakin questioned. Earning a roll of the eyes from Perum.

"Of course there has." The irritation in his voice was evident. "If you're looking for someone in particular you need to be more specific. Otherwise, you're wasting both our time." Anakin closed his lightsaber and placed it back on his hip.

"Any Jedi Torgruta girls, in between 13-16 years old come on the market?" Perum's eyes came back up to his immediately at the mention of a Jedi. "Specific enough for ya?" Anakin tried, and failed, to keep the bite out of his tone.

"Yeah, there was." He nodded. "A few days ago a trader from the Outer rim was on the channel offering her to anyone who wanted her, for the right price. I almost bought her, I knew the Republic would buy her from my associates." Anakin held back a growl.

"Well? Did someone buy her or not!?" Perum flinched as Anakin began to scream, leaning closer towards him. It wasn't until now he realised how helpless he was if Anakin decided to kill him.

"Y-Yeah." He spit out, backing up until his back hit the wall. "I-I don't know who, but she wasn't on the market for long." Anakin ground and turned away from him, allowing Perum to take a breath of relief. There was a long silence as Anakin rubbed his eyes in frustration. "She was your apprentice, wasn't she?" Anakin turned back to the slaver, his eyes and face red.

"She IS, yeah." He snapped his response.

"Look," The slaver began as he picked his communicator and looked for a contact of his. "I have a trading partner on Tatooine. If anyone can help you figure who bought her, it's him. He's the skittish type, so try not to scare him." He passed a slip of paper to the Jedi.

Anakin grimaced at the thought of having to go back to Tatooine; but if it could help him find out who bought Ahsoka, and where to find them, it would be worth it. "Thank you." The anger had left his voice as he stared at the slip of paper of in his gloved hand.

Perum nodded. "Now leave me be, Jedi." Anakin let a small chuckle slip out, before heading back to the surface.  
Anakin knew he was still far from actually finding her, but every step in the right direction made the weight on his shoulders lighten.

* * *

 _"Do not let young Skywalker's apprentice out of your sight. My Master will not tolerate another failure, child."_ Ahsoka over heard the conversation from the bed in her cell. It made her heart drop, the coldness of Dooku when it came to his "apprentice" was sickening to her. Ahsoka could recount at least a dozen mistakes she'd made under Anakin and not once did he threaten her.

 _"I will not fail you, Master."_ Ventress assured her Master with the submissiveness that was most certainly required of her.

 _"I hope so. For your sake."_ And with that Ahsoka could hear leaving the ship. His heavy footsteps disappearing down the hall of the ship. Ahsoka found herself feeling sorry for the assassin she'd dueled with on more than one occasion.  
Ventress entered Ahsoka's small cell, where she had spent the last three days with no food.

"If he actually cared about you, he wouldn't treat you like that." Ahsoka commented on what she'd just heard.

It took Ventress a moment to understand what she was talking about but once it clicked she felt anger surge to her chest. "Don't talk about things you don't understand, padawan." Ventress bit out as she grabbed the empty glass from the stand next to Ahsoka's small bed.

"I know enough to know that my Master would never threaten me." Ahsoka folded her arms over her chest as she spoke.

"And mine would never allow me to be captured by petty slavers." At that Ahsoka shot forward towards Ventress who side stepped and drew one of her lightsabers.

Ahsoka was backed into the corner of the room by her captor. "Please, padawan," Ventress laughed. "You're no match for me. And even if you got past me, where would you go? You're on a ship with hundreds of droids, far beyond the reach of the Republic." Ahsoka hadn't actually thought that far ahead. She'd allowed her anger to get the best of her. Ventress deactivated the lightsaber and placed it back on her hip. Ahsoka fought to keep her lip from quivering as she stared at Ventress.  
She was hopelessly outmatched and far out of her depth. Ahsoka slid down to the floor, allowing her arms to wrap around her knees. Finally, and bitterly, she let go of her hope of escaping Ventress and her despicable Master, Count Dooku.

"A medical droid will be here shortly, with food, and bandages for your wrists." Ventress announced as she began to leave the room.

"My Master will come looking for me," Ahsoka spoke in a quiet, but very certain voice. "And when he finds you with me, it'll be the end for you and your, Ventress." Turning towards the young Jedi with a smile, Ventress wondered if she truly believed what she was saying or if it was the only hope she had holding her together. It didn't matter, Ventress would strip her of that as well.

"Is that so, little one?" Ahsoka nodded her head. "Well he can't be searching too hard, from the comfort of the Jedi temple." Ahsoka visibly tensed at that. "My spies are everywhere. If he bothers to come looking, I will know about it." And with that she activated the rayshield and left the padawan to wallow in her loneliness.

Waiting till she was certain Ventress was out of earshot Ahsoka let her guard down. Burying her face in her hands she let out a quivering breath. What if they were right? What if Anakin didn't come looking for her? If Anakin didn't come searching, what would Dooku and his Master do with her? Her thoughts swirled around in her mind like glass in a tornado.  
Ahsoka hated the helplessness of her situation. She hated that she was being used as a pawn in their plot against he Master. And most of all, she hated feeling afraid.

* * *

Dooku's ship detached from the Separatist warship it'd been docked with. "What is troubling you, my friend?" Darth Sidious spoke from the copilot seat he occupied. Dooku tensed slightly; he'd spent years trying to conceal his emotions but his Master always sensed them.

"It's nothing, Master, I assure you." Sidious gave hi a look telling him he wasn't getting off that easily. "I am not certain that Skywalker will bend to our will so easily, even with the girl." Dooku spoke calmly. "His devotion to the order may over power his devotion to his apprentice." The count finished with a small sigh

"Skywalker's weakness is his devotion to his friends." Darth Sidious had learned a great deal about the young Jedi. "His allegiance to the Jedi will falter."

 **Author's note: Ill end chapter three here! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and Im sorry for the wait on this one, I've had a busy month but thank you for your patience! Please read and review (:**


End file.
